


As The Leaves Fall

by iphridian



Category: Fortress Series - C. J. Cherryh
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Introspection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-31
Updated: 2018-03-31
Packaged: 2019-04-16 02:33:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,012
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14154771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iphridian/pseuds/iphridian
Summary: A trip on the countryside has Tristen questioning where his true place is.





	As The Leaves Fall

"Why are the people afraid of me Uwen?" Tristen asked the older man, startling him in the process.

"Sir?" Uwen stared at him in question.

Tristen was out with Uwen and a couple of guards that Cefwyn sent. His friend had insisted that he does not leave without any of them.

He argued about the arrangement, but Cefwyn explained that it was for his own benefit.

"For your safety and my peace of mind," Cefwyn told Tristen cutting off further protests the young lord might throw.

Not wanting to be the cause of any more problems for the newly crowned king, Tristen just agreed with the decision, for which he later was grateful as he found out Guelemara is far different from Amefel.

"Ever since we came here the people kept making those strange warding gestures and had been  
avoiding me." Hurt can be heard in his voice.

The older man gazed at his young charge, sympathy mirrored in his eyes. Uwen knew how difficult  
it was to adjust for the young Lord, and yet the lad had tried his hardest to at least fit in, but never though compromised his beliefs of right and wrong however simple they may sometimes be.

"I mean them no harm. I wish them no harm at all." Tristen continued as he picked up the dry leaves  
noting the unusual colorings. He and the men were out in the woods near the castle. He had been bored  
for staying indoors for quite some time as the need to explore, to know more about the world was just too strong to resist.

"Laddie, I'm sure you don't mean them harm. I believe you don't. But these people, they heard a lot of things about those that happened in Lewenbrook."

  
Uwen patted his horse gently while signaling to the rest of the men to keep up with them.

"Most of those gossips and that probably would've been exaggerated beyond those on what actually  
occurred. Mayhaps, a good lot of 'em were told we used sorcery or some evil magic to win. For a long time now, they were made to believe that sorcery is evil and-"

"But we fought against sorcery!" Tristen exclaimed cutting short whatever the rest of Uwen's statement was going to be.

"There lad, I was not saying we used sorcery," Uwen soothed his agitated charge.

"But think lad, they were brought up to believe that sorcery is evil; anything that is unexplainable that comes from the south is bad. For a long time that has been their belief and some happenings, events had supported this belief. What do you think would be running through their heads?"

Uwen sighed, feeling a bit frustrated not with Tristen, no never with his lord, but FOR his lord.

Tristen tugged at the reins, stopping the slow canter of his horse, eyes gazing at the distance, a thoughtful look on his face.

"There was a dark Shadow there in Lewenbrook," he said softly. "I believe we were able to turn it away. I thought at that time we have vanquised it. But somehow, right now, I feel that we haven't completely defeated it."

Uwen was silent for a moment as he tried to grasp what Tristen had just said. He does not fully understand the gravity of those words. He is but a simple man and magic, sorcery, and wizardy - those do not make sense at all. But he what he knows deep in his heart - he trusts his lord.

"Whatever happens, m'lord I'm wi' ya. I know it will be hard out there, but I'm nev'r leaving your side m'lord," he declared firmly.

Startled, Tristen stared at the man that Cefwyn had assigned to guard him.

"Uwen?" Tristen said.

"M'Lord?" His guard looked at him inquiringly.

"Do you think we have a chance of defeating whatever it was that we faced in Lewenbrook?"

Uwen gave a gentle laugh and said, "To be honest m'lord, I do not know at all. Things related to magic are too complicated for some'ne as m'self to really understand. But I believe, if someone can beat 'em Shadows, it would be m'lord Tristen."

"Your belief in me, humbles me," the young lord said, a worried expression appearing on his face.

The old soldier grinned at Tristen. "Well, I think you're a good lad. You seem to genuinely care for a lot of people. You ain't daft or stupid, or greedy or any of those stuff."

"Would those really help me?" Tristen inquired.

"This old man believes that m'lord's innate goodness is a strong factor in beating 'em old, Shadows out there. Besides, I'm not the only who thinks and trusts m'lord. The others here would also gladly follow ye."

Trsiten glanced around seeing some the soldiers bantering cheerfully with each other, some content just watching the antics of their comrades. His gaze finally resting back on Uwen, Brave and loyal Uwen. From the start the older man had been kind and honest with him.

He had treated Tristen like a friend not some imbecile as some of the others had done. For that he was grateful to Uwen. Uwen had told him so many times, he would follow him to whatever ends he might chose. Tristen did not want that at all.

Neither did he like the way the other soldiers were relying on him - entrusting their lives in his hands.  
And yet, despite all those misgivings, he can't help but feel glad in a way that these men trusted him. He  
who is not as wise as Mauryl or as knowledgeable as Cefwyn.

Overcome with emotions, Tristen uttered softly, "Uwen."

"Yes, m'lord?"

"Let's go home." It wasn't what he wanted to say. And yet uttering those words felt right. Home he mused silently. Perhaps as long as those he hold  
dear were with him, he would have a home.

Uwen smiled and called the rest of the guards to make haste to leave. The autumn wind blew silently around them, carrying in its cold fingers leaves  
that had fallen to the ground.


End file.
